


The Bastion Confessional

by seraphienus



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, Some Humor, Some Romance, some drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-10
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-14 04:59:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7154570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seraphienus/pseuds/seraphienus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even Overwatch agents have sins that they have to confess to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductory

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what I am doing.  
> I don't know what I'm about to do either.
> 
>  
> 
> **Disclaimer: I'm really not great with character impersonations but I'll try my damnedest!**

_Du du eee dee duuu duuu.  
Dee du. Duu deee deee duuu…._

**[Re-initializing systems language translation]  
[Core translation sequence beginning in 3…2…1….]**

 

Greetings. My name is SST Laboratories Siege Automaton E54 or better yet known as the Bastion Unit from the Omnics war. Ever since the war has ended and my existence has been eliminated, I had been asleep until awoken and now roaming the world in its natural habitats devoid of conflict and confrontation. In this expedition I have met Winston, a friendly scientist, who keeps me polished and updated to be self-sufficient in the events of my own personal journeys. He has also help removed the automatic-simultaneous threat detection function in my core AI system and revamped its schematics such that I will be in control of my own weapons, since they are a main part of me which I am unable to remove. This should help reduce the interest of conflict should I bump into a human, which I myself fear that the automation might be triggered out of self defense.

As a part of existence in this world, I have asked Winston how should I contribute to the service of this world and its growth since my presence would deem more threatening than aiding in appearance. Winston does not have an answer for me, but he suggests that I find it myself, a way of life, or **‘a way of enjoying it while I exist’** were his exact words. I do not understand it very well but I have begun my search for it.

Pertaining to this, I have discovered the re-involvement of Omnics into society and as well as a spiritual leader such as Zenyatta leading both Omnics and humans in his religion of peace and love. He has deeply inspired me in the religious movement which I am determined to find out about this religious belief both Omnics and Humans have accepted. In the midst of my discovery, I have also noticed the existence of—Confessional—where humans confess to their wrongdoings in order to receive reprieve and forgiveness—or as Winston puts it when I asked him, **‘to feel better about themselves after the petty little things they’ve done in their daily life’**.

I feel that, should I be able to help humans in any aspect at all, in order to regain my trust in them as well as theirs in mine, this would be a beneficial start to my existence to reconfigure myself into this society. And thus, I have found my purpose, which I will begin my test.

To help me with my conquest, Winston has helped me install a recording function in my system that allows me to record and process the words of those who come forth to me to confess, and hopefully with the right settings and analysis of congenial humans behaviors and answers, I can help them in my own ways.

Welcome to SST Bastion's Confessional. This will be a consolidation of the confessions I have received and I will share with you.

We shall begin.


	2. Tracer's Dad(s) Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will be written in recount forms so first persons will be used for each chapter most of the time. And thanks everyone for the hits and kudos! :D:D I will try my best to keep it funny or endearing in spite the truckload of awesome OW fics here! Everyone's been very awesome!  
> 

[replay:Tracer's log; 20160619-1528-Dads_Day-no_advice_warranted]

 

So… so today's Dad’s day and I thought it would be super fitting if I get something for Dad since it’s not often we get to enjoy something like this init? Well I mean, he's not the real dad per se, but he's closest to one the rest and I can get. It’s also not easy that we actually found him, our ex-Commander, and sure wasn't easy to convince him to stay with us and stop being the solo vigilante he has been. And it’s been well that much I can tell you love! But he prefers us to call him ‘Soldier: 76’ now even though I told him that’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard next to McCree telling the time of the day for _anyone_. Hah! Get what I mean? Tell the time—never mind I said that love.

Like I said, Dad’s day init? So I remember the Commander always had a peculiar liking for something strawberry yeah? Something he once said about it reminds him of home, his mom I think, her love for the strawberry punnets she grew in her own little garden. I think he misses her a lot truth be told. After all the chaos, she's become a distant memory to him and that's his only way to remember. Like déjà vu!—wait is that the right word? And there's this one time where I remember he would just be sitting in his room... looking far into the distance as though he's lost in memory, and the look on his face... it was almost painful, you know? But then again, it was the only time I actually just caught a glimpse of him doing that. Reminiscing in the past I mean—hehe, though I think that’s rather cute of him despite the man he has become now. At least he still had some sort of emotion going on his face then, ...much much more than he does now.

So uhm, yes where was I... I was out on the street getting a strawberry pie for him to celebrate Dad’s day when I saw him dressed in a regular outfit strolling along the streets discreetly—yes I kid you not. Well I mean, discreetly from us you know, agents, not like the civilians who doesn’t even remember how he looks like back in those days other than his poster boy look on motivational banners. Aww I remember that all right! The uppers were pushing him to do the posters which he had rejected so many times though I would say they were really futile attempts to decline them because he was a fish caught in the net init! There was no one else quite quipped for the job anyways. I had to stop myself from bursting out in laughter when he was trialed for the shoot because I wanted to see it so awful bad! He tried to dismiss us from coming to the studio but that went _rather well_ , if you get what I _mean_ heh! Psssch—please, him stopping me. What are the chances,  really! Reinhardt was there too and even he had a hard time holding back since Commander looked like he was a chicken ready to be slaughtered! Oh bollocks of course it wasn't as bad as he imagined! But he couldn't see past the motivation he was going to spread throughout the world just for being him, the only and only Jack Morrison. And the world needed him, they needed someone to believe in. Maybe... even the Overwatch agents needed it too.

[She pauses for a second here, I was not sure if I should interrupt.]

Shoots! I drifted again! Anyways I caught him cutting close to the back alley of a café, turning into the dark path and dark path I mean really dark and dirty type alley ways yeah? Yet the curious side of me _just_ couldn’t resist finding out where he’s going especially when I have a special treat for him in my bag! Well bag— just paper bag and not that type of—never mind you get the idea.

I zipped across the road and into the alley. It was just as dark and chilly as I imagine it'd be but on top of that, something about it was way off and all the more I _know_ he shouldn’t be here, not unarmed and in civilian. It was ghastly quiet despite the bustling street just right outside in the light! Can you believe that? it just didn't match at all! And oh lordy, the stench of the place was—let’s just say that the slosh was slashing or honking down the nitty gritty. Normally I would’ve recalled my way out of a place like this but Dad’s got me curious init? Plus I wanted him to be safe since he was unarmed—even if he is _the_ Jack Morrison.

Had to tippytoe my way in to avoid being detected too! I skipped the puddles, trash bags until I heard a soft sputter of muffled words in a certain direction. Certain that I don’t want to miss out what I could've heard, I zipped straight past a big puddle of sewage water—and trust me it was most unbelievable distance I’ve ever blinked in a single wave!—and that's when I also discovered, second discovery darling!, I never want to be so close to something as this ever again because I really, _really_ don’t want to misplace my head anywhere else other than on my neck.

I never thought the day would come to see Dad pressed up against a wall with someone else’s hands pinning him up. Out of good faith I’d like to think that’s possibly my **other** Dad—you know the one we lost in the fire and presumed dead to only come back and haunt us like the black thingy—what they’d call it—ah yes, the _Reaper_ —and that his interest in my soldier Dad is greater than I could ever imagine possible! Oh dear, did I also mention that—mmhehe!—he  _actually_ stared at me deadpanned with his mask _off_ and soldier Dad was as pale as a ghost when I caught him saying _‘Papi’_ in the act just as my other Dad finished eating his mouth down— oh wait, but he _does_ look the same though. Now that I think about it... wait a second, he actually didn't disfigure as badly as we all thought he'd be! I mean no one's ever seen what's underneath that mask of his init! Oh lordy I can't believe got to see it today now that I think about it! No wonder Dad's still all gobsmacked and drunk on him!

[She starts to laugh a little too much here, hugging her stomach and tapping her feet rapidly on the floor. But she looks happy. I think what Winston said could be right.]

Aww while I do believe I enjoyed this a little way too much than to confess that I shouldn’t have followed Soldier:76 in the first place and landed into something like this—bollocks! ...I _have_ to tell Angela about this. I need to ask her why didn't she tell us anything about Reyes in the first place! Unless she's got some secrets that she isn't telling... Got to say, can't help that my charming forte to be fast on my toes and feet and hands and fingers has been  _exceptionally_ helpful today yeah!

[She got up from the chair and smiled brightly.]

Well in any case I came here and did as I was told by Winston after I told him my juicy encounter! He told me it is after all a good time that I met you and help you with your... what did he say... _'_ learning'? But in any case, I’m sure Dad must be having the _time_ of his life now! Ehehee!

Time for me to go, love! Thanks for listening, Bastion! Cheers!

[I watched her zip away before I could offer any advice. Perhaps she did not want any advice from me? But before I could process everything since she was talking so fast and from all directions, she came back with a bright smile on her face before she flashes her cell phone screen at my camera functioning eye.]

Oh before I go, did I tell you I _actually snap_ a picture of them before I recalled my way out too?

 

[end:Tracer's log; 20160619-1548-Dads_Day-no_advice_warranted]


	3. Red Rubies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... uhm, I went in a different direction this time. I swear the connections were pure coincidence... Thanks everyone for the views and kudos and comments again : )

[replay:Roadhog's log; 20160701-2349-Red_Rubies-advice_warranted]

 

[I observe as he sits in front of me silently. He does not speak. I do not ask questions. If you may wonder how do I ‘ask’ a question, Winston gave my hologram projection function a boost. It is capable of projecting a question as a hologram in the air, LED beam projection. He finds it—he said ‘compelling’—that if a map can be projected with a hologram initiation, then other things should function just the same. Athena agrees as well, that I deserve an ‘upgrade’. I have been told to test out this function because it could significantly increase my opportunity to interact with humans. However this person in particular, is much more silent than the previous one.]

“Hnngh.”

[He grunts behind his mask again. I do not know if he is unwell because he coughs a lot. I do not know how he found me either. I have not met a person like him before.]

“I’m a One Man Apocalypse.”

[He has repeated this for the third time. It was all he said. I do not know what does he want, nor what he needs me to help him with. My system alerts are tingling as though suppressed by consciousness. But… I do not have conscious.]

[He scratches the back of his head, coughs again. He does not speak. It has been going on for five minutes. The time on my interface continues to count after 5:01. I believe he could be waiting for me to strike a question at him. I rotate my interface to the hologram function; it switches on my camera eye to an electric teal before it glows stronger. He places his hook on the table and watches in what could be said as ‘amazement’, even though I cannot verify that since I do not see his facial features. I enter the keys to form the question before I sent it through the hologram, electronic beams casting out of my eye as it slowly forms the letters and words in the air before him.]

I ask: ‘Can I help you?’

[He leans back now, away from the table. He grabs the dirty sack he left on the ground ever since he sat down, his hand searched for something inside. I watch patiently. When he was done, he pulled it out of the bag and clasped it in his hand. I could not see it.]

“Fawkes.”

[He spoke behind the mask. It was difficult to make out what he was saying but the recording system lets me rerun the analysis of his speech time and time again until I could capture the right syllabuses.]

“Split loot from merc run. Split ways at King’s Row. Found these—red things.”

[When he opens his hand, it was a pile of red things. Squishy, fleshy, some even smashed into a pulp and stained his fingers. **Systems scanning** —analysis found: _Fraises des bois_ —strawberries of the wood, wild strawberries. Category marked: **Preference** , group list: **Soldier: 76**. Classification: Strike Commander of ex-Overwatch. I had to catalogue the information immediately because that is how the systems work on automatic. I hologram the answer to him because it would seem that he does not know what they are.]

I say: ‘Fraises des bois, also known as ‘Strawberries of the Wood’; ‘Wild Strawberries’.’

“Rubies. Fawkes.”

[I could not tell if he understood what I just tried to explain to him but did not interrupt his sentence.]

“Fawkes likes rubies. Jewels, gold, diamonds. Has a thing for sparkly sparkle.”

“I wanted to use the loot money from merc run to buy these, but old lady didn’t want to sell them to me. Wanted to get them for Fawkes.”

“Said awful things. Horrible things. Said things that made me really angry.”

[He dropped the Fraises des Bois on the table and clenched his fist tightly, then slammed it against the surface. He grunted words that were hard to make out even with my analyzer. It sounded like snorting and growling, grunting. I do not interrupt him again. He calmed down after a minute, based on the interface the time running was 12:33.]

“I plundered her garden in the night. I pulled out all of the red rubies from her garden. I dug the soil of the red rubies and destroyed all of the seeds. I made a big mess— _hehheheh_ —of the soil. I broke her fence, I burnt it all. Then I grab the red rubies, stuffed them into my sack and went home.  Fawkes was asleep.  He didn’t know what I did.”

“Wanted to give him red rubies—but couldn’t.”

[His voice lowered here. The analyzer picked up a lower reverberation and it was harder to collect the sound waves. But my analyzer also picked up the change of his body posture—his shoulders slouched forward more, his head dropped, his back hunched. Based on behavioral theory it was a sign of displeasure, disappointment, unhappiness.]

“Old lady wasn’t wrong about me. I didn’t look normal. She said I look like a bad guy. She isn’t wrong either. She said she will not sell red rubies to bad people.”

“I said it was for a friend. She said bad people only make friends with other bad people. She said Fawkes was bad! I got upset and bashed up her garden. Fawkes isn’t bad. People just don’t understand him.”

[I learnt through my database that he was referring to a man, a partner-in-crime, namely known as _Junkrat_ from the international news broadcasts of pursuits after them.]

“Jamie is my friend. Although he can be difficult, he has always taken care of the both of us. Radiated. Radiation messed him up somewhere too. But he would not let anyone hurt him or us. Nothing stands in his way. He will blow up any obstacles in his way. He will always stand tall for what he wants and what he will never stop to do. And even though I had only thought of him as good business at the start…”

[He paused and coughed. Then he remains silent, even though his voice was different—could almost be described as 'tender'—just a sentence ago.]

[The silence continues for a few moments more and I decided maybe I should give him a word of advice. This was why he came here, perhaps. He wanted to feel less awful for what he has done. I could turn him in with the persecution on them, but I myself should cease to exist in the eyes of law too. It is not easy to learn to cope with having feelings—the studies about humans. It cannot be dissected into analogies and theories in general, and it will always vary largely with each individual. The database is endless of them. Here he could be a wanted person, but it does not discard his other capabilities of being human. Perhaps, this was what Winston meant he once told me as well—‘ **humans will always be conflicted with how they feel, what they feel and what they do upon it.** ’]

So I say: ‘Give him the red rubies because he will be happy to receive them. Jamie is your friend.’

[He coughs a little more before he starts to stash all of the remaining Fraises des bois on the table away into his sack. But he left one on the table, one tiny one.]

“Jamie is my only family. He is all I will ever care for in another person that’s left. Remains of my humanity.” [He then points at the tiny Fraises des bois.] “But you are a good fella too. Jamie might not think so, ...but you're okay for the scrap pile you are.”

[He picked up the sack and left with it. He did not look back again. I think Junkrat found a good mate. Roadhog is his name. And he thinks I am pile of metal scrap.]

[Strawberries; Category marked: **Preference** , group list: Soldier: 76, **Junkrat**. Classification: Strike Commander of ex-Overwatch, **Mercenary**.] 

 

[end:Roadhog's log; 20160702-0007-Red_Rubies-advice_warranted]


	4. Ganymede

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy—I can't even begin... thanks so much again for all these kudos and views! Not even just this, even for my other Reaper76 fic... damn you guys are really too kind! :DD
> 
> And also, I'm thinking of doing sequels to these confessions outside of this main fic. So if anyone likes to see a continuation of from the confession, pls let me know! Depending on the response and with the progress of this fic, maybe something may happen! :D:D
> 
> And Sym isn't mean, she just has had a tough life D:

[replay:Symmetra's log; 20160716-1716-Ganymede-malfunctioned_record]

 

“I will shield you.”

[I am trying very hard to stop her from coming close to Ganymede—it does not know that I have named it so.]

“You do not have to be afraid of me, little one. Vishkar only provides to protect the helpless and we will do whatever it takes to make sure it happens.”

[I do not understand what does she mean by the ‘helpless’, do I look helpless?]

_Beep boop beep beep._

“Is there something you would like to say to me?”

[She has come so close to Ganymede that I fear it would fly away. It has taken me many days of coaxing before it seemed comfortable enough to approach me, until today it did so and I thought this was progress! Progress that I have successfully communicated with a living creature on a non-verbal level and I want to share it with Winston as soon as I return tonight for my weekly checks. However, here Symmetra is. I cannot help but be invested to find out if she is afraid that I would harm Ganymede or I would harm her. But she is partly cybernetic—it would make no sense to adopt and fear a similar entity. I tried reading her heat signatures for irregularities. Besides, I have not had a day of incidental trigger ever since I have awaken. This exercise confirms so. This exercise is to work out my endurance and limitations so Winston can keep improving my interface, my ' **awareness** ' he calls it.]

_Boop beeeeeeep._

[I turn my camera functioning eye at her and zoom in on her advanced prosthetics—it says **Vishkar Corporation**. I load the conversation beam casting before I attempt to speak with her.]

I ask: ‘What are you attempting to shield?’

[She looks genuinely—unless if I have miscalculated and been mistaken which could possibly be a malfunctioning of my facial feature recognition analyzer—surprised at my question.]

“Your little bird friend. It needs to be able to protect itself.”

[My alert system is triggered but I am manually containing its protocols. Winston reminded me that I cannot fully override my functions because I am self-automated. Full override fundamentally risks going into 'slate'—which he describes it as a type of 'sleep'—and I would risk going under if no one discovers me. Unless if I am fortunate, again for the second time, that I miraculously wake on my own.]

“In the world where I come from, poverty is everywhere. People have not enough to feed, not enough to share. People are helpless to what comes to them. People forget… what is taken from them.”

[She walks around me. Following her is not an issue to me. However, she has pointed out something that is peculiar to my analyzer.]

I ask again: ‘What is forgotten?’

“Everything.”

[She pauses. Now she looks at Ganymede as she reaches out to it with her mechanical hand, the smile on her face is a first since my camera rolled.]

“Everything precious. Everything fragile. Everything that is life. Everything that is supposed to be cherished… was forgotten once it was taken. They were forgotten… they were abandoned.”

[Ganymede stays on my shoulder. This took me by surprise.]

“But. This is why Vishkar is here for everyone. We will care for the homeless, the penniless, we will shield them from poverty and give them the ability to survive. Our technology will superiorly overtake every other corporation that believes it could outdo us. This hard-light technology we possess will recreate the world to a better place than it is and Vishkar will be its leader.”

[She reminds me of the advertisement I watched with Tracer the other day who zipped by to show me something on her ‘mobile phone’—a dainty little device that projects media and establishes communication.]

“And I will demonstrate it, with my hard-light technology, that I can build you a home for you and your little bird friend, in this ruins you have kept yourself in.”

I ask: ‘How did you know I exist?’

“The Vishkar knows everything.”

I ask again: ‘Did someone ask you to come to me?’

“If order is dispelled, I will come to reinforce it.”

[My alert systems are ringing again. I can’t… I can’t hold it back. I try. Something about my  _awareness_ is malfunctioning... Trying… I tried. I think… I think I need Winston’s help to strengthen my manual override. This time it is not working too well, the automation is detecting and loading its operations.]

“As you are, little robot. Your true nature is to reinstate order and discipline. That is… what you are created for.”

[It is no use. I am recanting every protocol, procedure that is reacting on its own trigger—the red button is not working, neither is the deactivation. The turret assembly is complete. The appendages have retracted into the systems, forming the isolation chamber to push the turret out in place, roots planted into the ground as usual. My screens have gone red, the scan matrixes mapping the ruins and my target. My controls are—]

“You may try to hide from the world, but once you have been discovered… there is no telling what the corporation will do to you. Not just Vishkar… but everyone.”

**[Turret locked on.]**

“But I am certain… _they_ will protect you. A scientifically-engineered monkey and… his favorite sidekick.”

**[Target Acquired: Satya ‘Symmetra’ Vaswani.]**

**[Fire commencing in 3… 2… 1…]**

“And your little pal.”

**[Additional Target Locked On: Ganymede. Ganymede… Fail to recognize target. Systems rescanning… Target Acquired: Ganymede. Satya ‘Symmetra’ Vaswani—systems failed to shut down. Systems recalling, systems locked out.]**

**[Initializing manual overriding… 3… 2…1… Manual overriding failed. Retrying… 3… 2…1…]**

“Cherish what you have learnt. This knowledge you possess is rarity in a robot like yourself, but even more so in the remnants of humans now. My vision is true: I will make this world a better place at all costs. All I hope for is our paths to never cross on the battlefield.”

**[Retrying… 3…2…1… failed. Systems restoring in 5… 4… 3…]**

"I'm just not the biggest fan of scrap filing."

**[Manual override confirmed. Initiating forced reboot…]**

**[Forced reboot failed.]**

**Teleporter Online.**

“Winston, I have connected the teleporter to your domain. Would you come and pick up your… little robot friend?”

**[Retrying…]**

“What happened here? What did you do?”

“I had a chat with him."

**[Retrying… Rerouting manual override: systems shutting down…]**

"Be out with it, Symmetra."

"I reminded him that this world will always be on the hunt for him: the last surviving technology of SST Laboratories before they were decommissioned.”

“You know his systems has the most advanced threat detection since the Omnic Crisis. And you know he packs quite the arsenal. So why did you provoke him?”

“I did not.”

“You shielded his yellow bird in 'this' sphere and you think he wouldn't understand what you're implying. He has growing _awareness_.”

“If you are going to doubt me, I suggest you take a look at him immediately.”

“I don’t need you to tell me what I need to do. Ugh… he’s completely fried his systems by forcing its manual overriding system to conduct… even though I told him that would return him to slate.”

“He is not completely washed. I can see his camera eye still functioning, rotating figuratively.”

“And what would you know about a robot that you just tried to break? Did you come here on Vishkar’s orders? Don’t think for a second we’re not picking up the dirt stains Vishkar has left behind in their trail. We won’t let Dorado fall into the wrong hands.”

“You have misunderstood our intentions. We are but mere architects and we only aim to provide better living for those who need it. Overwatch can be the crime-fighting vigilante odds against the world, but you will never learn the real taste of the world and what it truly needs, which Vishkar only seeks to provide.”

“…”

“The back of his head. Bastion’s. The external configuration pad is left to its core.”

“I—I know that! And… …you know _his_ name.”

“How amusing you have considered it a living being rather than robotics. But I suppose that is what the Omnic Crisis has taught us… that even AIs have their own conscience and they will someday awaken to it. 'Awareness' as you speak of.”

“I’m taking him back to the lab now. The bird is coming with me. And take the damn shields off.”

“I would rather not. The teleporter was not made to sustain small lives. Besides the shield will disappear on its own in due time.”

“…”

“Is there something else you wish to say?”

“… Vishkar is not what it seems, Satya. I hope you will come to realize this with your own eyes.”

**Teleporter offline: The path is closed.**

 

[end:Symmetra's log; 20160716-1741-Ganymede-malfunctioned_record]


	5. Mythical Creatures and a Cowboy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys can totally tell this is _not_ the end of this recording... XD

[replay:Hanzo's log; 20160728-1158-Mythical_Creatures_and_a_Cowboy-advice_warranted]

 

[My access logs said that I had a downtime of 3 days. When I asked Winston about it, he said something happened to my memory core and the data that day had to be wiped because the virus cannot be quarantined. It was a shame... I had a log named ‘Ganymede’ but when I tried to open it, it says ‘Access Denied: Data Erased’.]

[But it is no matter. It seems that Ganymede is my pet bird now and it sings around me frequently. Winston has taken a liking for my pet bird like buying it adequate feeding, and it makes me—I am not sure how but—happy.]

“If it weren’t for you two, I would not have come here.”

[And it would seem that the agent today in need of my services do not seem to require it at all. He looks very disgruntled, upset, and do not like being in my company, or that of his companies. So I think it would be in my interest to at least strike a conversation, because my threat detection tells me otherwise he could be very well striking an arrow at me if I do not appear friendly. Or at least friendlier than his companies.]

“Look, Hanzo. I have told you many times over that I wish to lay down the past between us but your talks of redemption is clearly driving me up the wall. I may not be human in appearance, but I am very human with my soul.”

“Y’know, Genji’s got a point. If y’don’t find yer demons and lay em to rest, ya never gon’ let go of the past. What better time than the present, eh darlin’?”

“Do not call me that. I have no interests in petty name callings for your endeavour.”

“You do realize that it is high noon now, McCree.”

“Touché, Genji. Y’don’t signal a cowboy out during his time-o-da-day.”

“Focus. The both of you lack focus.”

“Coming from the guy who talks about redemption for the last ten years and has no progress? I’d take my chances.”

“Aww no—”

[There is a dash of green and blue—I believe they are dragons—and it completely amazes and baffles me how modern and advanced our technology is to this date and yet I am looking at mythical creatures like dragons. I believe in my logs: they are supposed to be a fairy tale, a fictional entity, but I suppose even technology has room to dream. Oh. Did I just... _thought_ of that? I might have to extract this part of the log and analyze it with Winston. But there are arrows scattering over the ground but broken apart by a samurai’s blade, whom the bearer is intended as named Genji—who also, in general records, has been filed ‘ **DECEASED** ’ over 10 years ago; yet in Overwatch records re-catalogued as an agent with the same appearance as he adorns now. The general records states that he was killed in a mansion in Hanamura but being the son of the local underground organization, there was little interest in the investigation of his death and that the Shimada clan made no presses for it either.]

[But it is fascinating—that Genji fights with a mythical creature on his blade and Hanzo on his arm, because based on my analysis I am unable to calculate the strength of such fantasy. If they are calculable.]

“One could almost say that this is ridiculous, y’know wad’eymean, lil’robot?”

[I did not realize McCree was standing right beside me all this time.]

_Boo beep._

“Don’t yer be afraid, I ain’t gon’ hurt cha.”

_Beep beep boop._

[Cowboy thinks I am afraid.]

“Even I can’t believe half d’damn things I see on a daily basis. Wou’ja two knock it off already yeah?”

“Hanzo always starts this because he cannot decide between taking a compliment or a comment.”

“And you are always testing my limitations, Genji.”

“All I am asking for is a truce. I even let you kill me and you can’t even accept the fact that I am still alive and immediately tried to kill me again!”

“Dang darlin’, din think ya for d’cold-blood.”

“Real life is not like the stories Father has told us. Yet you... being alive again, is utterly impossible. Yet I detest, resent myself for not being able to protect you as a brother should, but you have done the clan wrong, Genji. You did not uphold the pride and honor as you should for the clan, and that... is why you had to fall.”

“Do you even hear the things coming out of your mouth? And Master thinks I’m the one who _needs_ guidance.”

[I could not extricate this level of contradiction. There seems to be some level of remorse desired by the archer, Hanzo Shimada, for the death of his brother. Yet I am unable to make sense out of the fact that he did, in fact, tried to murder his brother, again, when they reunited for this first time. How do I know of this is because I found a tape in the Overwatch archives uploaded by Winston into the database some time ago as it dated and it would seem that Genji was stammering in the background about his reunion with Hanzo for the first time in ten years.]

 

[overwatch_archive: 20150831-0541-athena-copy-xxiv]----------------------------------------------

Genji: **That fucking piece of wood Hanzo is,** Winston **.** I do not understand him!!

Winston: You have one too many drinks, Genji. Go lay in your quarters.

Genji: You guys were the ones who told me to recruit him!!

Winston: We may have chosen a bad time for that.

Genji: Lena said it was the perfect time. He is alone, lost, confused and my face should change his purpose in life instantly. ‘ **Hands down** ’ she said. Sure if only he isn’t Hanzo Shimada who draws an arrow at anything that threatens his little pathetic excuse of a lie. He saw my face and lapse into a nostalgic moment but if only for a fraction of the time before he turned against me, AGAIN.

Winston: Last warning, Genji. If you do not go to sleep now, I will personally make you.

Genji: Tch, _kuso_. It’s not even fair you replicated Ana’s sleep dart. **Hanzo is the death of me**.

[overwatch_archive: 20150831-0559-athena-copy-xxiv]----------------------------------------------

 

_Boop beep beep._

“What is it, lil’robot?”

I ask: ‘What do you seek, Hanzo?’

[He looks at me with a certain degree of—annoyance, irritation?—I could not guess.]

“Redemption.” [He puts his bow away at last. And so did Genji.] “For the wrong I have done in the name of my clan, and to have wrongly carve my brother’s name into the grave.”

“I AM RIGHT HERE, HANZO.”

I say: ‘Shimada clan is currently immobilized almost to a point of ‘Cease and Desist’.’

“MCCREE, CAN YOU TELL HANZO I AM RIGHT HERE.”

“Darlin’ Genji is right here. Yer just sparred wit'hym.”

“Silence!”

“Oh my god.” [Genji removes his mask alas.] “Do you have the memory of a goldfish or you simply cannot accept the fact that I am now in fact a cyborg, Hanzo? I just want us to make peace. I am tired of all these random battles you put us into because of your mood swings.”

“Why do you even want me to come here in the first place?”

“Because Lena said that this is the best place to come and seek peace! That this little robot—no offense my friend—is the window of opportunity for you to toss your ridiculous sense of redemption out at him and then you can finally let go of this broken dream of yours because YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ANYMORE. I AM GODDAMN ALIVE.”

[For once Hanzo has returned to his silence.]

“Y’know, Genji’s got a good point.”

[I turn to look at the cowboy.]

I ask: ‘Then what are you doing here?’

“I’m here to make sure Genji doesn’t get his brother killed this time.”

[I caught a flash of really arrogant smirk on Genji’s face and Hanzo does not seem pleased about it.]

“Are you implying that I am weaker than my brother?”

“No offense, Hanzo. But _you are only human._ ”

[The dragons are unleashed once more.]

I say: ‘Maybe your presence is what is fuelling this rivalry.’

“I can’t help it, can’t I? Who dun love watchin’ a good fight between brothers yeah? Like watchin' matador against his bull—ya can't help wantin' to see sum'thing, trigger sum'thing all'in good sport.”

[The brothers instantaneously stopped and turned to our direction. I do believe they could have heard what the Cowboy just said to me. And I believe, it is cold sweat dripping down the Cowboy’s forehead too.]

I say: ‘Maybe you should give up on redemption and focus on the people around you, Hanzo.’

“Indeed.” [Oh my—oh—he took my advice!] “Indeed I should look _carefully_ at the ones around me.”

“You know, you’re a man to love and hate at the same time, McCree.”

“Why thankyer, Genji. And t-to what honor do I owe to have yer compliments? And yer dun hafta—yeah, d-dun put d’mask back on, will ya? C-Can we talk’bout this?”

“Let _us_ take _good_ care of you, _Mak-Cree_.”

“You do _enjoy_ a good piece of the Shimada brothers, don’t you?”

[And even the records would prove that it has never seen a Cowboy run as fast on his feet as he would ride a horse as he did.]

 

[end:Hanzo's log; 20160728-1221-Mythical_Creatures_and_a_Cowboy-advice_warranted]


End file.
